Knicks: Wallace has broken foot, needs surgery

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Knicks said Wednesday new X-rays of Rasheed Wallace’s left foot showed a broken bone, and he is expected to miss another eight weeks, possibly ending his comeback season.

The forward will have surgery this week, damaging news for a team that has missed his play off the bench.

“It’s somewhat a blow because I mean he’s gone through so much work to get back out on the floor and now this happens. So the only thing we can do now is think positive in terms of how the surgery is going to turn out and he’s got to rehab back,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “That’s all you can do at this point.”

The 38-year-old Wallace came out of a two-year retirement to join the Knicks this season and averaged 7.2 points while appearing in 20 of the first 22 games, helping the Knicks get off to a 17-5 start.

He hasn’t played since, and the Knicks said his injury had progressed to a fractured bone at the outside of his left foot, otherwise known as a Jones fracture.

“When we were able to actually get him on the floor, he was pretty good for our ballclub. But hey, that’s in the past. We’ve got to move forward,” Woodson said. “It’s a blow I’m sure for him mentally because he wanted to play and so it’s a setback. He’s just got to have the surgery and we go from there.”

Perhaps aware Wallace might not be able to return, the Knicks signed forward Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract last week. Woodson said there was a chance the 35-year-old Martin would make his debut Wednesday against Golden State.

He also said the Knicks didn’t plan to waive Wallace to create a roster spot and hoped he would be ready to play in the postseason.